Let's take a bus tour. It is easier!

As for the family trip of summer vacation in this year, I have been looking for somewhere else than Kita-Karuizawa where we usually go.

My wife said that the destination should be the place where I do not need to drive, because if I drive 6-8 hours to come back to Tokyo against traffic jam, it will be nothing more than to tire. That means we should take either public transport or to join the packaged tour.

Finally, We decided to take 2 days 1 night bus tour of August 17-18th to Kiso, Takayama and Kamikouchi organized by HANKYU Travel Co.,ltd.

have never been to none of there, so it is very interesting to.
The tour bus left Shinjuku at 8 o'clock in the morning with full of 45 participants. After having lunch at a drive-in restaurant in Iida City getting off Chuo highway, we visited the first sightseeing place, Tsumago village. It is one of lodging towns of Edo era located along the route between Tokyo and Nagoya, which was called as ﾒNakasen-doﾓ

The next place was Magome village. It is also a lodging town. A row of houses are lining up in both sides of a fairly narrow slope. After stopping at knife shop in Seki City where famous with making a sword, we arrived at Gero hot spring.

Raining at Tsumago village.	The village master's house.
This is a post office still working.	There is a musiam corner.
Nice looking Soba restayrant!	Soba was very tasty!
Look at the size!	Rainning is over now!
Driving mountain road to the next destination	A mile stone in Magome village
Bulltine board of Edo era	A souvenie shop
Center street in Magome	Shimazaki Touson's birth house
Center of Gero hot spring	Hida river and our Hotel
Open hot spring at the river side	Our Hotel of tonight
Dinner served in the room	Chicken on the hot plate

August 18th, the 2nd day. Weather became much better than the first day and it was a refreshing morning. We drove one hour from Gero hot spring and went to see "the morning market" of Hida-Takayama City. The morning market stands are located along "Miyagawa" river. The most of stores are of pickles, vegetable, sweets and souvenirs. The sight seeing time given to us seemed to be too short to look around the interesting building and shops or even to try to get on a sightseeing rikisha (man towing car) .

The last destination was Kamikouchi highland. Because it is the reserved area form the view point of nature protection, all the visitors must change the transport to a low pollution bus at local bus station. We got off the bus at "IMPERIAL HOTEL" and walked along Azusa river enjoying beautiful mountain scenery. We had lunch box at the riverside under tree. Then we visited Azumino wine brewerry at the last and took bus home to Tokyo.

Miyagawa river	Enterance to morning market
Many tourists are here	A pickls shop
Kami-Sannomachi street	Ole houses at the both side
A shop of Shunkei lacquer ware	Rikisha towed by sightseeing guide
Local number plate is issued as "Hida"	Another old house
Enterance to Kamikouchi Imperial Hotel	Hotel costs 50000Yen par night!
Memory stone of Mr. Weaton	WalkingrRoad under the trees
A panorama view along the Azusa river
Azusa river	Kappa-bashi bridge
Wide view of Hodaka mountains. You see ice fall in the center of the valley.

Going back to the bus station and then we visited Azumino wine brewery at the last.
After looking through the wine shop, we took bus home to Tokyo.
There was 15Km of traffic jam on Chuo Highway, but I could have a nap all through the route without any tire until we arrive at Shinjuku.

Yes! It was really a easy trip!!